The Northern Neighbourhood Policing Team will have a visible presence on duty this year to reassure the community and so that all have a safe and enjoyable Halloween. The Police would like to advise parents and their children to be mindful that some of the more vulnerable or elderly members of the community do not wish to participate in Halloween activities and in fact may feel intimidated by groups of people calling at their doors. The Police would offer the following tips during Halloween: · If your child is going outside in a costume – make sure that they are wearing reflective clothing or add reflective tape to their clothes. · Carry a torch and consider road safety at all times. · Children should only go to houses of people that they know and who are happy for them to call. · Make sure that your children go out in a group preferably accompanied by an adult. · Older children should let you know where they are going and what time they will be back. · Those children that possess one should carry a mobile phone in pockets or bags · Make sure your children know not to enter anyone’s house or to accept lifts from strangers. · Respect the community’s right not to accept ‘Trick or Treating’ as this activity is not part of a traditional Manx Culture and can be offensive to some people. · Don’t allow your children to take eggs and flour out of the house. · Make sure that your children understand that they should not call at addresses after 9pm. Constable Paul Kemp of Ramsey Police says, “The officers in the Northern Neighbourhood Policing Team will be out patrolling to make sure that the children have a good time and are safe. Thankfully, calls of nuisance behaviour are few and far between at this time of the year but the Police will take an enforcement stance against anybody causing problems. To prevent any issues, parents are asked to be mindful of the above tips, in particular relating to eggs and flour and would remind the public that the Police would rather enter into the spirit of the evening than have to deal with children who are ‘Trick or Treating’ and upsetting their community.” ENDS